Khan Solo: Stargirl

“The making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art – many do’s and don’t”s” we hear the voice of John Cusack on the opening track of Khan Solo‘s latest mixtape. The moment is more a reminder than a message about the merit of beat-tapes and burnt-CDs in a musical culture where albums are the norm. While LPs may remain unmatched in conveying mood and depth, there is still nothing quite like the variety and the chorus of perspectives that a tape captures as it draws upon the work of multiple artists through its samples. With Stargirl, Khan Solo sets himself to the task of sharing with us “a relationship that defined his love-life” over a set of 23 tracks.

The story of Khan’s relationship unfolds not in the form of ballads or rambling folk tunes, but through bits of dialog picked out from film and television that play over his mellow instrumentals. Track 01 marks the event when the artist sees his future lover for the first time, rendering a perfect capturing of the dreamy, movie-like moment when you realize you’re in love. The narrative continues for the next hour, taking us through the lovers’ experiences and eventually to their break-up. While the mixtape is obviously meant to be heard in its entirety, its tracks also work perfectly as easy-listening material that can be played individually. Khan’s breezy, soulful style of composition offers not a single dull moment, and the sampling is nothing short of masterful. To readers looking for something ambitious as well as relatable: give Stargirl a spin, right now.